The Eichmann Trial: 50 Years Later

A prosecutor and key witness reflect back on the event that transformed Israel.

In May 1960, Adolf Eichmann, the Nazi officer in charge of orchestrating the Final Solution – the mass deportation of Jews to ghettos and extermination camps – was captured by Israeli agents near Buenos Aires. Eichmann was given a choice between instant death or trial in Israel. He chose to stand trial, which began in Jerusalem on April 11, 1961.

During the trial, the Israeli public was exposed to the details of the Holocaust nightmare for the first time, as well as to the heroism and ingenuity of those who survived.

In his defense, Eichmann insisted that he was only "following orders." Yet scores of witnesses contradicted that contention – testifying to Eichmann's "fanatical zeal and unquenchable blood thirst." Throughout, Eichmann listened impassively to a translation of the entire trial from a specially-designed glass cubicle in the crowded Jerusalem courtroom.

One year later, after all the evidence was in and all appeals exhausted, the cold-eyed Nazi monster was hanged at a prison in the Israeli town of Ramla.

Former Supreme Judge Gavriel Bach – at the time an up-and-coming lawyer and deputy state attorney – was asked to join the team of prosecutors. Fluent in German, he conducted most of the interrogations of Eichmann. At a recent talk in Jerusalem, with the 50th anniversary of the Eichmann Trial approaching, Bach described the unforgettable influence that the trial left on him.

"We were three prosecutors. We gathered millions of pages of documentation and read a great deal of background sources. I don't think I slept more than three hours every night throughout the trial," Bach recalls. “The German government was very cooperative and sent us a great deal of material.” Despite that, chief prosecutor Gideon Hausner preferred to call up as many witnesses as possible rather than presenting his case via historical documents, because "it would be more shocking and have more impetus."

"Some of us thought that Eichmann may have experienced regret at the terrible things done to the Jews in Europe," says Bach. While in custody, Eichmann was shown part of a film that portrayed the horrible conditions of the camps and the crematoria. “We all waited to see how he would react to the emotional film,” says Bach. But when a German-speaking guard asked Eichmann for his reaction, he simply changed the subject and complained about not being allowed to appear at the trial in a Nazi uniform.

Instigator of the Crimes

Among the many documents that Bach found was an interview which Eichmann gave to a fascist Dutch journalist in 1956 while hiding in Argentina. Eichmann expressed satisfaction over the sight of continuous railroads cars arriving in Auschwitz. "It was a glorious sight," he said.

"Did you have any regrets at any time?" asked the journalist.

"Yes", answered Eichmann, "I'm sorry that I wasn't stricter in carrying out our goal. Look what happened," he declared angrily in 1956. "The State of Israel now exists and that cursed race continues."

A book written by the commandant of Auschwitz, Rudolf Hoes, describes how up to a thousand Jewish children were gassed daily. "Occasionally a youngster would beg for his life on bended knees in front of me, and I have to admit, I sometimes felt weak myself. I have children of my own. But then I was embarrassed at my frailty. The Oberfuhrer (Eichmann) strengthened my resolve by explaining that we had to kill the accursed Jewish children above all; they represented the future, and the Jewish future had to be erased from the face of the world."

Prosecutors found several examples of Eichmann’s steadfast, even stubborn resistance to any show of lenience. One of the Nazi leaders in Poland sent a request to delay the deportation of a certain Dr. Weiss and his wife. Dr. Weiss was a world famous expert on radar, and the officer thought it would be useful for the Reich to obtain key information before annihilating him. Eichmann wouldn't hear of it "as a matter of principle," and the doctor and his family perished along with their entire community.

Eichmann claimed that he was merely carrying out orders.

At one point during the war, Hitler himself, for political reasons, asked Eichmann not to touch 8,000 Jews left in Budapest. Yet despite his loyalty to the Fuhrer, Eichmann planned otherwise. (Only the war's progression prevented him from deporting this group.) These examples counter Eichmann's claim throughout the trial that he was merely a cog in the machine, carrying out orders.

"There were many dramatic incidents during the trial," says Bach, some which never came to the floor of the courtroom. "We received an important document from an anonymous source which detailed the number of arrivals at Auschwitz, the dates, and the numbers given to each Jew. We tried to verify the details and find the person who had sent us the valuable material, but couldn't make headway. We called in experts from the police department to examine the document and help us find its author. Then I had a brainstorm. Let's find survivors with the numbers mentioned in the document and ask them when they arrived at the camp. That will give us the proof we need to present the document at the trial.

"One of the policeman in the room, after some hesitation, rolled up his sleeve and showed us a number engraved on his arm. 'This number appears on the report; and indeed I arrived in Auschwitz on the date mentioned,' he said quietly. There was complete silence in the room. None of his police colleagues even knew that he'd been in the Holocaust. Like so many, he had hidden his past. We had our proof on the spot. But none of us could speak for several minutes."

Horror Stories

The Eichmann trial had the effect of creating huge public awareness about the Holocaust in Israel and worldwide.

"Nobody wanted to talk about their Holocaust experiences," says Yosef Kleinman, a survivor who arrived in Palestine in 1945 during the days when the tiny Jewish community was struggling to survive and prepare for statehood. There was neither energy, time nor patience to hear the newcomers out. “No one was interested in hearing our stories,” says Kleinman.

"They called us 'sabonim' (soapers),” he says. “They couldn't fathom why we hadn't stood up to the Nazis in the camps and fought back. In those days Israelis were taken up with the macho image of the ‘new Jew.’ They didn't understand what we were up against in Europe, and we ourselves didn't want to be reminded. We just wanted to get on with our lives and put that all behind us."

Indeed, the main drama of the Eichmann trial was the Holocaust survivors who appeared as witnesses. As first it was difficult to even locate witnesses, since they had gotten so used to not talking about that period in their lives. "I had a hard time convincing some people to come forth and tell their story," Bach recalls. “One man told me, ‘If I start talking, you won't be able to stop me for four or five days.’"

Bach insisted that at least one witness should appear from every country.

The prosecution team argued among themselves how much time to give each witness. "I was adamant that at least one witness should appear from every country that had been under Nazi rule," says Bach.

Kleinman, one of the youngest witnesses, described the selection process he endured as a 14-year-old. "First we were put into a ghetto, and several weeks later we were sent in cattle cars to the camp. For three days we had nothing to drink or eat.”

At Auschwitz, there was a selection table where the infamous Angel of Death, Dr. Josef Mengele, sent the most able-bodied to the right for slave labor, and the weaker ones to the left for extermination. “My 13-year-old brother was held up for inspection,“ Kleinman recalls, “but in the end they told him to run along and join our parents to the left, which he did happily, not knowing what that meant. That was the last time I saw any of them.

”In the barracks, the old timers quickly filled us in and callously pointed to the smoking chimneys we could see through the window. 'That's where your parents are. They're all dead by now.' That's how we learned the terrible truth.”

At the Eichmann trial, Kleinman testified about an incident where Auschwitz guards called the prisoners out to see one young boy getting punished. Kleinman describes:

“Usually they'd give 25 lashes. This boy withstood the punishment and didn't let out a sound. That made the tormentor angry and he continued beating him – 30, 35, 40 lashes. And still the boy didn't cry out. We ourselves couldn't take it anymore. But the soldier continued hitting him all over – on his legs, face, stomach, wherever the whip landed.

“When he got to 50, and the boy was already on the ground, he threw away his whip and left in disgust. We ran over to the hero, picked him up and washed him off. 'What did you do to get this punishment?' we asked him. He could barely talk, but he said, “I brought siddurim (prayer books) to the barracks. It was worth it. I'm glad I did it.'"

This story had a deep influence in the courtroom. The court-appointed defense attorney wept openly, and the judges called for a break in the procedures.

Little Red Coat

At the trial, another witness who had been inside the gas chamber lived to tell about it. As a youngster, he arrived in Auschwitz together with 200 other children, after a horrendous three-day train trip. After the selection, he was pushed into a large dark room with shower piping, and the door was shut behind them. At first the children began to sing, to lift their spirits, but that soon gave way to wailing and screaming. Suddenly the heavy metal door swung open and a guard pulled out 20 of them into the bright sunlight. The Nazis needed workers to unload bags of potatoes and there weren't enough soldiers for the job. That's how this man was able to give a first-hand description of the insides of the crematorium.

At the trial, Dr. Martin Foldi, related how he and his family arrived at Auschwitz in the winter of 1944. As the bewildered Jews stumbled out of the cattle cars, they were hounded by dogs and Nazi soldiers with whips. He described being sent to the right with his 11-year-old son. His wife and two-year-old daughter were taken to the left. The little girl was wearing a little red coat. At the last minute, a guard sent Foldi's son with the crowd to the left. Dr. Foldi panicked thinking, how could this young boy find his mother and sister among the thousands there at the station. But then he knew... he could find his sister because she was wearing the red coat. It would be "like a beacon" for the boy. Then he states, "I never saw them again."

This testimony is likely to have formed the inspiration for the iconic red coat in Steve Spielberg’s classic film, Schindler’s List.

The horrible story shook the courtroom. But for prosecuting attorney Gavriel Bach, it was by far the most upsetting moment of the 16-week trial. Bach had just bought a red coat for his own daughter.

In the courtroom, Bach played with his papers and kept the whole court waiting for his next question while he conquered his emotions.

Historic Impact

The Eichmann trial made headlines all over the world, but in Israel the subject was the center of everyone's attention. The long-term effects of the trial were dramatic and many. The Israeli public understood at last what the survivors had undergone, and became much more empathetic. The enormity of the Holocaust was suddenly brought to the fore, through the witnesses who gave a personal voice and face to the 6 million victims.

Today, far from the days of Israelis “not wanting to acknowledge the tragedy,” there is a whole different attitude. Israeli universities have professors of Holocaust Studies; thousands of Hebrew books have been printed on the subject; government agencies grant special privileges to survivors; and every year on Yom HaShoah the media devotes an entire day to interviews with the nearly-extinct generation of survivors.

Half a century later, the Eichmann trial is not merely a historic event. It represents the turning point in Israel’s understanding of the Holocaust.

About the Author

Leah Abramowitz is a medical social worker, free lance writer, and a coordinator for Melabev, an organization for the elderly. She has been privileged to live in the Old City of Jerusalem for the past 30 years with her family.

The opinions expressed in the comment section are the personal views of the commenters. Comments are moderated, so please keep it civil.

Visitor Comments: 45

(41)
Lorral Weaver,
August 28, 2012 9:47 PM

The Holocaust survivors

These stories have led me to want to try to do more to help the survivors of the Holocaust, I realize that I'm unable to do it alone, but these people should not have to live in such abject poverty for their entire lives. I believe that they have suffered enough for a lifetime,, so by the grace of God I'll pray and ask Him how I can be of more help to them.

Batya bernstein,
April 6, 2014 9:27 PM

I agree with u totally i am a dauther of a holocoust survivor.

People dont realize how this horrible event still hurting the sons or daughters of the holocoust. I was ripp out of everething thats how i see it because i am living in some way the direct consequences of that. I was marked since i born i dont have any family because of the holocoust. I saw my father going to sleep daily crying for his ima and his 7 brothers. People dont understand that our generations still suffering in some way or another.

(40)
David,
October 13, 2011 3:07 PM

Survivors in Israel

There are survivors in Israel that live in difficult straits. The Israeli government has done more for them. But I would like to see an organization such as AISH publish more on this in order to provide an extra push.
Holocaust survivors are all old people today - let them live a comfortable life in their final years.
We should through the government, take care of them well.

(39)
Brindusa Segal Averbuch,
May 24, 2011 12:43 AM

i remember how my parents were very happy at his capture they were survivars

(38)
Josephine Coyne,
May 5, 2011 7:06 AM

Harsh reality, and should not be forgotten

Many people in these current times would not know of the horrors the Jews suffered in' world war two'. The plight of the 'Palestinians' is not to be underrated, but God gave this tiny country to the Jews.Why do the surrounding enormous Arab countries not help their people in Gaza if they so care about them?? I think, because they don't!!

(37)
Gerhard Schreiber,
May 2, 2011 6:22 PM

A recent PBS program,(Secrets of the Dead), explained that 80,000 (not 8,000) Jews were spared in Budapest, not by Hitler, but by Adm. Horthy following an Allied bombing of the railroad station

(36)
William Chapman,
May 1, 2011 11:40 PM

Holocaust deniers must be thickheads

With the overwhelming amount of evidence that the Holocaust did occur, how can deniers keep denying? The true Nazis and their sympathizers surly would not deny it happened, they are proud that it did. It's good that modern day survivors can feel free to testify. We must never, ever forget that it did happen.

(35)
Anonymous,
May 1, 2011 3:13 PM

God

Where was God during this events? Did this people "deserved" this?

William Chapman,
May 1, 2011 11:44 PM

God and the Holocaust

Where was God? He was in the gas chambers with them. Of course the Jews did not deserve this. But God has allowed us free will. If we want to be holy, we can. If we want to be monsters and murder innocents, we can, too. God will hold everybody accountable for what they did in life.

(34)
Nava,
May 1, 2011 6:33 AM

Remembrance Day

The lives of 6 million men, women, and children opened the eyes of the world, the need for a new Jewish State; and to us the momentous for a Jew to be a Jew. I commemorate them today. All those who had died, and all of the survivors, for what they have taught us and through their death and life, their multifarious accomplishments. May the God of Shabbat Shalom fill us with overflowing incessant rest and peace.

(33)
Anonymous,
April 30, 2011 9:33 PM

I ALSO REMEMBER

I remmber, as an African- Am. child, my parents were glued to our television screen- and made us kids watch. There was continued discussion at the dinner table of the impact of this, and of Eichmann's villany. I didn't understand at all then, but that understanding is being perfected. I has crafted who I am today. Stay Strong.

(32)
Leah,
April 29, 2011 5:09 PM

I knew of it but didn't know it had a name

I was just a child of six when I became aware of the Holocaust, alone in the attic, turning the pages of the book of Camp liberation and the horrors found there. My father had acquired the book after his service in the war and stored it away in a box. I stumbled upon it one day while "exploring". I didn't know what it was or that it was called Holocaust. I was haunted by the photos but I never spoke of it.

(31)
Tanya,
April 29, 2011 2:54 PM

Thanks a lot. Didn't know the details, was born at the very end of the War. My grandmother perished...
WE MUST REMEMBER!!!!
Heart breaking stories and I'm proud to be a Jew.
G-d bless.

(30)
Dorit,
April 29, 2011 2:43 PM

Many thanks ...

... for writing this story of that trial ... now I know some more details for arguing when I meet people who say: 'It wasn't that terrible' or 'It's not worth considering those times because it's been over for a long time, now' - so I can pray and answer for them as for me to consider our thoughts and deeds. I want to know and understand such stories or, at least, their contents or conclusions, by heart in order to share that "understanding" and may-be help in either direction, as G'D wants it ...
Be blessed abundantly - I am very happy that your people is still living.
Shalom.

(29)
Enrique Lechner,
April 29, 2011 2:45 AM

A welcome "aggiornamento". I followed the trial in the newspapers. Eichmann was picked up in the country
I live in as an adult.

(28)
Anonymous,
April 28, 2011 5:50 PM

Survive

No words - nothing we can do to undo this horror, the only token of solidarity I can think of is to raise six observant Orthodox Jews, three up another three to go, one to represent each of the million that was murdered.

(27)
mike migliano,
April 28, 2011 1:23 PM

Forgive but never forget. You are the 'Apple of God's Eye'.

I am not a Jew but I love you and would defend your right to survive if the oppertunity presented itself. My sons are American soldiers and feel the same way. Never give up and never give in.

Inessa,
April 28, 2011 8:35 PM

THANK YOU!

(26)
Steve Hosken,
April 28, 2011 8:16 AM

Sad how little we remember.

My wife asked me who was Eichman? All I could say was that he was a monster, brain-washed by evil. I did not have any facts before I read this information because I'd forgotten the details, and so had she. We'd both been to the Halocaust Centre in Yerusalem in 2009, so we all need to remember the evil so we can help ensure it never happens again.

(25)
Kip Gonzales,
April 28, 2011 8:08 AM

The most unfortunate prisoners

Of all the tragic stories from survivors of the Shoah, perhaps the saddest were from the "Sonderkommando", the prisoners in Auschwitz and in other camps that had to empty the gas chambers and burn the bodies of the victims. They never knew beforehand what they were being assigned to, and once they were shown what they had to do, they were numb with shock, but blows and death threats kept them working. Most of them only wanted to survive to tell the world what had happened there. Most of the other prisoners even at Auschwitz were kept apart from this work force, and many of them thought they had volunteered for the work for the extra food, and didn´t mind " collaborating" with their murderers. Nothing could have been further from the truth! The Sonderkommando at Auschwitz made a brave and hopeless attempt to revolt by destroying at least one of the crematoriums and try to cut the fence and break out. Most of them were caught and shot. The small group of survivors mixed in with other prisoners and were impossible to weed out. Most of them remained silent after the war about their experiences; some testified at the Eichmann trial and at the Auschwitz trial in Frankfurt in 1965. Gideon Greif, an Israeli journalist interviewed some survivors of the Sonderkommando in his book, "We wept without Tears" (I hope that is the title in English. In German it is, "Wir weinten tränenlos.")

(24)
Diane Byers,
April 28, 2011 4:36 AM

I am ashamed when I complain to God about my problems

When I feel overwhelmed I watch Schinder's List. I also carry a small B&W pic sent to me from the Museum of Tolerance of a 9yr old Abraham Beem. He and his sister Eva hid out in a rural village in Holland.for months. They were denounced, deported to Auschwitz and murdered upon arrival. I carry this photo with pics of my own 2 grown sons. Abraham is and always will be 9 yrs old. When I feel sorry for myself and think my problems so large, I look at this precious child's shy, smiling face. I hang my head in shame and ask God's forgiveness, for my foolish mumblings. I thank Him for my two sons and for my "third" little son of light, Abraham Beem. I love them all. I am 62 and became a nurse at 58 yrs of age so I could go to Israel and not be a burden to her. I pray God will bring Abraham and me there to serve. I hope He doesn't mind that I am not a Jew, to my knowledge.

Anonymous,
April 28, 2011 8:38 PM

THANK YOU!

I cried reading your post. Thank you for you great heart!

(23)
sethwillenson,
April 28, 2011 3:25 AM

brings the impact home

I remember the trial as a 14 year old in the Bronx. Its impact was incredible.
The article covered all the emotions of the holocaust and the Eichman vignettes are chilling and it all brings ears to my eyes.

(22)
Jean Overton,
April 28, 2011 1:51 AM

The long arm of Jewish law at last got him. He is in Hell today.

(21)
jack Piotrkowski,
April 28, 2011 1:21 AM

never again

my parents being survivors of the Holocaust; I can only thank G-d for having live a full life.

(20)
Daniel Fainstein,
April 28, 2011 1:19 AM

a mistake in the articule

The author affirms that "Eichmann was given a choice between instant death or trial in Israel. He chose to stand trial, which began in Jerusalem on April 11, 1961." This is affirmation is false.Te proposal of his kidnaping and capture by Ben Gurion was to organize a big trial in Jerusalem to show the crimes of the Shoah to the world and to educate the young generation of israelis about the tragic fate of the diaspora.

(19)
Gavreil,
April 28, 2011 12:23 AM

I cry

Having been raised up through the years of WW II, I saw the picture in Life and other magazine regarding the concentration camps and stacks of the suffering and the dead bodies awaiting to be cremated. I cried then, and many times after, but today, I cried again when to read the horrors of the death camps once again. We must never to forget, and we must be ever careful whom we place into government. When government becomes much too powerful, be very careful, yes very careful, and always to raise questions about those in government. Short terms in office of all elected persons is a necessity, and to always question.

(18)
peterfulton,
April 27, 2011 11:35 PM

some of this is new to me.

A most wonderful collection of much hitherto unheard truths ,which should be made very public. It was a long time before this vile story emerged as Australia was so far away at that time , and news was a long time in arriving .To hear of Eichman on trial was a highlight of my life even as a gentile .

(17)
Anonymous,
April 27, 2011 10:47 PM

For 35 years my mother never spoke about her experiences

My mother never spoke about her experiences in the camps - not until I was about 35-40 years of age. Then one day she opened up and began relaying her experiences - she wanted my brother and I and for all the family to know. She could finally confront what had happened and was willing to communicate about it - for future generations. These included working 2 shifts - one for herself and the 2nd for her mother - until her mother was found out and shot/killed. Then she attempted to escape [3 girls] - and was wounded in the process and placed in an underground 'dungeon' [is the word my mother used]. She was still alive when the Nazi guards finally brought her out. She talked about the 'Death March' towards the end of the war, when the Russians were closing in from the east. The Nazi's didn't want anyone to find out about what they were doing or had done in the concentration camp, so they marched all the inmates out on this 'Death March' - to get as far away as possible - in the snow/cold. If you spoke or fall or didn't keep up the pace you were shot. Finally
when she couldn't walk any further she decided to chance it - do or die - and jumped/fall into a rotting pile of potatoes on the side of the road and waited till there was no sound to be heard. She was so exhausted that she couldn't climb out of the rotting potatoe hole - but eventually did. She wandered around and finally came upon a single cottage with smoke coming out of it's chimney and upon approaching it, found the door open, food, no-one there. What did she do ? She cleaned herself first - rather than eat. Isn't that remarkable ?
I doubt that her stomache could hold much, and it could have been detrimental eating a 'normal' meal' in her physical condition. She developed Typhoid and recovered 3 months later. Thereafter she made her way back to Lithuania [3,000 miles away] on the back of cargo trains at night [with no sweater/jacket] to try find some of her family. There's more, but this will suffice

(16)
Francesca Miller,
April 27, 2011 10:13 PM

History repeating itself

I agree that these stories and reports need to be told to secular/non-Jewish people, but additionally the parallel of what is happening today in terms of the rhetoric being spewed by so-called religious leaders, to what happened in pre-war Germany. We are in grave danger of phobic hysteria being rekindled by politicians hiding behind Evangelicals. Remember that "Eugenics", (the Aryan )movement began HERE, in the U.S. in the 1920's. NOT in Germany!

(15)
Anonymous,
April 27, 2011 9:40 PM

To say that Israel did not understand the holocaust until the Eichman trial, is outrageous. It makes Israelies sound like deniers. Maybe they didn't walk about it, but surely they were well aware of what had happened in Europe. Most of them were Europeans.

(14)
ABE SANTOP,
April 27, 2011 9:27 PM

STILL BRINGS TEARS TO MY EYES

WE PMUST SHOW TO PROVE TO THE WORLD THAT THE HALOCAUST HAPPENED
EICHMAN AND ASSOCCIATES WERE WORSE THAN RABID WILD ANIMALS IN HUMAN BODIES

(13)
Shirley Hultin,
April 27, 2011 8:17 PM

I remember when i first heard of the HolicostI must of been 10 yrs old it was sickening all these people and no one said any thing God I know was there He's always there I'm so glad they got back into Isreal God be with them and may God pertect them now as the time is close I believe the Lord is coming back and he will stop the Muslems

(12)
Alan Epstein,
April 27, 2011 6:45 PM

At this time in our Jesish history, this is a very cold reminderof what the bais of what is going on in the Middle East today.

(11)
Brura,
April 27, 2011 5:51 PM

Stories like this should always be told. REMEMBER and perhaps we can prevent such horror in the future. With anti-Semitism growing around the world, I see possibilities that I do not want to happen. At the slightest hint or very open and threatening statement or deed we must REMEMBER and fight back. Always, fight back. We cannot let history repeat itself!

(10)
Hanti Badenhorst,
April 27, 2011 4:04 PM

Great article

Thank you for this article, may we forgive but never forget so that it will never happen again.

(9)
gitty kleinfeld,
April 27, 2011 3:37 PM

a drop in the bucket

(8)
Anonymous,
April 27, 2011 3:36 PM

Quotation : "man's inhumanity to man"

The quotation "man's inhumanity to man" cannot even describe the inhumanity the Jews suffered during the holocaust.

(7)
melbert,
April 27, 2011 3:22 PM

my heart breaks

i'm a filipino but i believe in the G-d of Israel. I cry with you all, with all those injustices it broke my heart. and i am very sure it also broke the heart of my Maker to see His chosen people undergoing such dark moments of their lives. Even the ground wouldn't keep quiet for the blood of the jewish martyrs. we will also not be quiet but continue to believe the holocaust and tell them to our filipino people. and we will continually pray for the peace of jerusalem until we see that peace could finally settle in Israel. May HaShem be more and more compassionate and be gracious to Israel. Shalom.

(6)
Kathy Stein,
April 27, 2011 2:48 PM

Trial of Eichmann

This horror must be told over and over again, especially to the younger generations. This is not believable to those in their 40's and 50's let alone to those younger. It must be made real so that the warning signs will be picked up immediately and something like this will never happen again.

(5)
Sandy resnick,
April 27, 2011 2:40 PM

Excellent. everyone needs to read and remember

Excellent! it's a story we need to pass on to ever Jew nd non Jew alike. It's something we dare not forget.

(4)
Marilyn Pahl,
April 27, 2011 2:14 PM

Propaganda Money

So many of my non-Jewish friends would ask me why the Jews didn't fight back? When I went to London England, and visited a Holocaust Museum I seen the propaganda money the Nazis had printed. Making it look like the Jews were prosperousness. Look they have their own money. Paper money with the Star of David printed on it. The Nazis played out every dirty trick they could think of.
I l was finishing my junior year in high school when we were told about the capture of Eichmann. All the young Jewish fellows in my neighborhood wanted to join Mossed. This piece is brilliant and should be shared all over the world.

(3)
howard yagerman,
April 27, 2011 12:46 PM

Eichmann in Jerusalem

Ironically,I am just finishing The Hannah Arandt book,Eichmann in Jerusalem.The term banality of evil was coined from the sub-title of the book.The part I am up to at the end after Eichmann received the death sentence so many prominent Jews and Jewishorganizations came forward to ask for clemency.I can only ask ,Why?In the words of Primo Levy,There is no why.

(2)
avigdor Bonchek,
April 27, 2011 11:26 AM

fabulous article

Leah Abromoitz's article is the best short piece I have ever read (and I've read a lot) on the holocaust.
A/ Bonchek

(1)
Martin Ailion,
April 27, 2011 11:00 AM

Remarkable.

Stories and reports such as this need to reach the secular / non-Jewish / national press of all the countries of the West and East

My nephew is having his bar mitzvah and I am thinking of a gift. In the old days, the gift of choice was a fountain pen, then a Walkman, and today an iPod. But I want to get him something special. What do you suggest?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Since this event celebrates the young person becoming obligated in the commandments, the most appropriate gift is, naturally, one that gives a deeper understanding of the Jewish heritage and enables one to better perform the mitzvot! (An iPod, s/he can get anytime.)

With that in mind, my favorite gift idea is a tzedakah (charity) box. Every Jew should have a tzedakah box in his home, so he can drop in change on a regular basis. The money can then be given to support a Jewish school or institution -- in your home town or in Israel (every Jews’ “home town”). There are beautiful tzedakah boxes made of wood and silver, and you can see a selection here.

For boys, a really beautiful gift is a pair of tefillin, the black leather boxes which contain parchments of Torah verses, worn on the bicep and the head. Owning a pair of Tefillin (and wearing them!) is an important part of Jewish identity. But since they are expensive (about $400), not every Bar Mitzvah boy has a pair. To make sure you get kosher Tefillin, see here.

In 1944, the Nazis perpetrated the Children's Action in the Kovno Ghetto. That day and the next, German soldiers conducted house-to-house searches to round up all children under age 12 (and adults over 55) -- and sent them to their deaths at Fort IX. Eventually, the Germans blew up every house with grenades and dynamite, on suspicion that Jews might be in hiding in underground bunkers. They then poured gasoline over much of the former ghetto and incinerated it. Of the 37,000 Jews in Kovno before the Holocaust, less than 10 percent survived. One of the survivors was Rabbi Ephraim Oshri, who later published a stirring collection of rabbinical responsa, detailing his life-and-death decisions during the Holocaust. Also on this date, in 1937, American Jews held a massive anti-Nazi rally in New York City's Madison Square Garden.

In a letter to someone who found it difficult to study Torah, the 20th century sage the Chazon Ish wrote:

"Some people find it hard to be diligent in their Torah studies. But the difficulty persists only for a short while - if the person sincerely resolves to submerge himself in his studies. Very quickly the feelings of difficulty will go away and he will find that there is no worldly pleasure that can compare with the pleasure of studying Torah diligently."

Although actions generally have much greater impact than thoughts, thoughts may have a more serious effect in several areas.

The distance that our hands can reach is quite limited. The ears can hear from a much greater distance, and the reach of the eye is much farther yet. Thought, however, is virtually limitless in its reach. We can think of objects millions of light years away, and so we have a much greater selection of improper thoughts than of improper actions.

Thought also lacks the restraints that can deter actions. One may refrain from an improper act for fear of punishment or because of social disapproval, but the privacy of thought places it beyond these restraints.

Furthermore, thoughts create attitudes and mindsets. An improper action creates a certain amount of damage, but an improper mindset can create a multitude of improper actions. Finally, an improper mindset can numb our conscience and render us less sensitive to the effects of our actions. We therefore do not feel the guilt that would otherwise come from doing an improper act.

We may not be able to avoid the occurrence of improper impulses, but we should promptly reject them and not permit them to dwell in our mind.

Today I shall...

make special effort to avoid harboring improper thoughts.

With stories and insights,
Rabbi Twerski's new book Twerski on Machzor makes Rosh Hashanah prayers more meaningful. Click here to order...